Post on 14-Apr-2017
Consumerism has led to
Destruction of Natural Resources
in an Unethical Ways
Name- Rajesh KumarRoll no.- APG2562114409Competency – E
Date: 22.06.2016Place: New Delhi
Presentation for the post of Assistant Professor2nd Round of recruitment (Advt. 21/2014-ESTT.)National Institute of Fashion Technology
What are Natural Resources?
● Anything that people can use and which comes from nature
● Basis of life on earth● People do not make them, but gather them either from
the mother earth or the environment surrounding us ● Examples: Air, Water, Wood, Minerals, Coal, Vegetables,
Food grains, Fruits, Meat etc.● Natural fibres from plants and animals
• Cotton from the cotton plant.• Linen from the flax plant.• Wool from sheep.• Silk from silkworms.
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Types of Natural Resources
● Renewable resources○ renews itself at a rate faster, or equal to
the rate of consumption○ can be used again and again e.g.
sunlight, water, wind, soil○ for some renewal takes considerable
time!! e.g. wood, paper, fibre, fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, animal-meat
● Non-renewable resources○ once used cannot be used again ○ use and consumption at a faster rate
than nature produces them ○ it takes very long time to regain
(centuries or millions of year) e.g. coal, metals and minerals, crude oil, natural gas, uranium
● Biotic resources○ comes from living
and organic materials
○ plants and animals ○ coal and petroleum
● Abiotic resources ○ comes from
non-living and non-organic materials
○ land, air, sunlight, water, metal
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Depletion of Natural Resources
● Our resources are getting depleted or consumed at a faster rate than they are produced or renewed by nature.
○ Basic needs
○ Social Status
○ Greed
○ Knowledge
○ Technical Abilities
○ Utilisation
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Causes of Depletion
● Overuse/irrational use (forests, water, land, soil, fuel)
● Non-equitable distribution of resources
● Technological and industrial development
○ Rising need for various raw materials
○ Increasing demand for energy
● Overpopulation
○ Food security
○ Clothing security
○ Shelter security
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Activities Causing Degradation of Resources
● Physical, chemical, biological and ethical aspects of
degradation
○ Chemical fertilizers/pesticides
○ Mining
○ Industrialisation
○ Energy generation
○ Automobiles
○ Urbanisation
○ Deforestation
○ Deterioration of hydrological
resources
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Impact of Depletion of Resources
● Imbalance in nature
○ decreased rainfall
○ increased temperature
○ species extinction
● Shortage of raw materials
○ exhaustion of ground water
○ carrying capacity
○ deforestation
● Struggle for existence
○ human human conflict
○ man animal conflict
○ habitat disturbance and
destruction
● Slackening of economic growth○ population pressure
○ domestic use and export
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Consumerism
● Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition:○ the promotion of the consumer’s interests ○ the theory that says an increasing consumption of goods is
economically desirable ○ a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of
consumer goods
● The rate of consumption of natural resources is ever increasing today and people often wish to increase their buying-spending capacity
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How do we Consume?
● Direct consumption○ forest for food, biomass, health, recreation and increased living
comfort● Indirect consumption○ forests act as climate control, flood control, storm protection
and nutrient cycling● As raw materials○ forest to timber to wood to furniture ○ forest to timber to wood to pulp to paper to paper products
● Every item made from a raw material obtained from nature ○ tea cup, bread, clothes, chair○ electricity at home etc.
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What is Consumer Ethics?
● Consumer is any person who buys and utilizes goods and services.
● Ethics is the set of moral principles, standards that determine what is right and what is wrong, good or evil, helpful or harmful, acceptable or unacceptable.
● Ethics is concerned with any situation where there is actual or potential harm to any individual or group from a particular course of action. It is a guiding philosophy.
● Consumer ethics thus deals with the practice of buying goods and services produced in a way that minimises social and environmental damage, while avoiding products and services which poses a negative impact on the society and environment.
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Ethical Perspectives
● Utilitarian○ greatest good for the greatest
number ○ opposed to the concerns of a
single individual or enterprise
● Justice and fairness○ impartiality and fairness are
the criteria for ethical decision making
○ benefits and burdens of society must be distributed fairly among all
○ differential treatment for clear and defensible reasons only
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● Maxim of responsiveness and resilience○ act as per the demands and
challenges from the external as well as internal environment
● Theory of personal rights○ individuals have rights ensuring
their dignity, respect and autonomy
○ rights enable the individual to choose freely whether to pursue certain interests or activities
○ freedom and protection of choices
Justifiable actions
● The action which can be shown to be or can be defended as being just, right and reasonable in a given situation○ An action is morally justifiable if and only if a person’s rationale for carrying
out that action in a given situation is one that person would be willing to have everyone else use in a similar situation.
○ Action should be without any biasness.
● Ethical dilemma is a conflict in which one has to choose between two or more actions and have moral reasons for choosing each
• Decision making agent• Choice among different course of action• There is no perfect solution (compromise)
○ Ethics and professional responsibility○ Economic prosperity vs. ecological responsibility○ Cost vs. Benefit
• irrespective of the costs, if life is endangered, those costs should be incurred
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Effects of Consumerism
● Habitat destruction○ for shelter, highways, shopping mall, hospital, mines, industrial
units, power plants, agriculture farm, livestock rearing etc ○ poses threat to the survival of the natural resources that relied on
that habitat● Environmental Degradation○ ability of the planet to sustain life is getting compromised ○ increasing pollution levels○ receding ground water levels○ soil erosion leading to desertification○ global warming ○ species extinction
● Requirement of excessive input energy and raw materials● Generation of larger quantities of waste by products
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Ethical and Environmental Issues
● Issue related to food○ Diversion of fertile land into
infrastructural purposes reduces vast agricultural areas and deplete the production of food
● Toxic chemical issue○ use of fertilizers/pesticides causes
pollution which are harmful to plants, animals and human beings
○ Environmental dumping to developing or poor countries
● Issue on energy○ excessive use of fossil fuel for
transportation/industrial purposes○ pollutes environment resulting into
global warming
● Issue on the destruction of natural habitats○ disturbances leads to migration and
extinction of plants and animals
● Deforestation issue○ trees are being cut without planting
new tree as replacement○ trees prevent soil erosion, flood and
storm
● Issue related to livelihood of indigenous people○ forest areas being mined○ sacred groves being destroyed○ Without adequate provision of
rehabilitation and development
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Examples…
● Coca-cola case○ Kala dera agro-based village near
Jaipur city (2004)○ Excessive ground water extraction○ Consuming nine litre clean water/litre
of coke○ Acute water shortage in summer
season○ Suspended manufacturing in February
2016
● Narmada Bachao Abhiyan○ Series of dams over Narmada river○ For electricity, irrigation and drinking
water○ Involuntary displacement of
individuals○ Considerable ecosystem damage –
plant and animal○ Narmada dispute water tribunal set up○ Compensation to legal land owners
only○ NBA, Medha Patkar, 1989
15● Kodaikanal Mercury Poisoning
○ Hindustan Unilever’s clinical thermometer factory
○ Raw mercury were imported from USA and finished thermometer were sent to markets of Europe and USA.
○ Workers exposed to toxic mercury vapour during work at site
○ Mercury contaminated glass sold to scrap dealers, contaminated waste disposed in open forests
○ Ailments among workers such as brain, kidney and liver damage
○ Tamilnadu PCB shuts down factory in 2001
○ Litigation continues in court, victims yet to be compensated
Examples…16
● SAVE: Vulture Project○ Saving Asia’s Vulture from Extinction○ 15 yrs ago there were millions of
vultures but now almost disappeared○ Kidney failure due to veterinary drug
diclofenac, banned in India since 2006○ Diclofenac reduces joint pain and keep
animals work for long○ Without vultures- feral dogs moves to
carcasses dumps- rabies, sky burial can’t be carried out, food chain disrupts
● Kerala’s Endosulphan Tragedy○ Aerial spraying on cashew plantation
as pesticide in Kasargod district○ Cancer, birth defects, jaundice,
depression, hearing loss ○ Destroyed biodiversity of the region○ Banned in Kerala since 2001
● Tamilnadu coast overfishing○ Mechanized overfishing by trawlers○ Fish resources are on the verge of
extinction○ Traditional fishermen live in misery
often forced to enter Sri Lankan waters
○ Eutrophication and shrinkage of Dal lake, Srinagar○ Original area 22 sq.km. now 18 sq.km.
due to sediment deposition○ Water quality degraded due to
untreated sewage and solid waste○ Peripheral settlements and tourist
activities adds to pollution problem○ Extensive weed growth is disturbing
biodiversity of the lake.
More Examples
● Soil salinity problem in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan due to excessive irrigation
● Deforestation leading to deserts in Rajasthan and Gujarat● Himalayan Tsunami of 2013 in Uttarakhand due to unscientific
construction of roads, buildings, hotels and resorts along with nature induced factors
● Falling number of Gangetic dolphin○ Due to use of nylon nets by fishermen○ Reduced water flow along with barrages make them isolated and vulnerable○ Pollution caused by untreated industrial wastes
● Stubble burning of crop in northwest India causes air pollution○ Done as it quickly clears the field○ Kills weeds and pests
● Uranium poisoning in Punjab ○ caused by fly ash ponds of thermal power stations○ lead to severe birth defects among children
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Solution Lies in Sustainable Practices
● What does sustainable use mean?○ Economic, industrial and social needs are managed in such a way
that the biodiversity, balance in the ecosystem, and the biological cycles like carbon, nitrogen and water cycle are not destroyed.
○ individuals to organizations, industries to governments, must act collaboratively at each level
● At Individual level○ Use only what is
required○ Minimize waste ○ Help replenishing
the resource like by planting trees, harvesting rain water etc.
● At organizational or industrial level○ Increasing efficiency○ Using the least amount
of non-renewable resources
○ Limiting waste material and energy at production level
○ Using alternative raw material or resources
● At government level○ formulation and
monitoring of laws, policies and programs favouring sustainable practices
○ education and awareness generation among people about controlled use of natural resources
○ Rewarding industries engaged in sustainable practices
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Legislative Provisions
● Article 48(A) of Part IV of the Constitution says ○ “The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard
the forests and wildlife of the country.”
● Article 51 A(g) imposed additional environmental mandates on the Indian state in the form of fundamental duty
● Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 – CPCB/SPCB
● Forest (Conservation) Act 1980
● Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981
● Environment (Protection) Act 1986
● Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules 2000
● The Ministry of Environment and Forests created in 1985 for regulating and ensuring environmental protection
● The Scheduled Tribes And Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act 2006
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Consumer Education and their Duties
● Duties and responsibilities towards natural resources○ Discourage use of plastic carry bags○ Keep surrounding clean by using dustbins for waste○ Car pooling○ Plant more trees○ Judicious use of products
● Sharing and trusteeship promotion in the society● Improving the quality of customer contact● Awareness about grievance redressal mechanisms● Providing customer education● Buy for need not for greed
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Consumer Rights
● Right to safety ○ protection against products and services that are hazardous to health and life
● Right to be informed ○ protection against fraudulent, misleading information, advertising, labeling, or other practices○ make available the facts that helps make an informed choice
● Right to choose ○ assured access, to a variety of products and services at competitive prices○ where competition is not workable, government regulates to ensure satisfactory quality and
service at fair prices
● Right to be heard ○ consumer’s interests must be protected ○ full and sympathetic consideration in the formulation of Government policy○ grievance redressal mechanisms
● Right to enjoy a clean and healthful environment● Right of the poor and other minorities
○ Children, Elderly people, Women, SC/ST, BPL strata, Forest dwellers
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Enhanced Focus should be on …
○ Organic farming○ Joint forest management practices○ Ethical food and drink○ Green home○ Ethical personal products○ Ethical finance○ Expenditure on ethical goods and service○ Green Manufacturing○ Efficient and green production technology○ Ethical packaging○ Eco-travel and transport ○ Emphasis on ethical sales and marketing
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